"Don't be afraid to live the life you've been given. Some of us don't have the chance. . . . Don't waste yours." - Private Joel Arlington
Description:
Maryland, Present Day
Jacqueline Rogers can rebuild anything...except the shambles of her past. A restorer of vintage planes, she's worked hard to earn the reputation of being one of the guys. The last thing she needs is a former Navy pilot fighting his own inner demons stepping in to defend her from dangers she thought she’d outrun long ago. Some battles must be fought alone. After a freak accident severs Lieutenant Michael “Finch” Carrington's dreams, as well as two limbs, he's left with nothing but a fragile faith and a duty-bound promise to watch out for his friend's baby sister. A promise she insists is as unnecessary as it is unappreciated. But when she turns the tables and begins to weld together the broken parts of his life, it may be his heart that is in need of protection.
England, 1942
With the world at war yet again, Alice Galloway rejects her father's traditional expectations and offers her piloting expertise to the Air Transport Auxiliary. She may be a woman in a man's world, but when she overhears key intelligence, she must find the strength to transcend boundaries and her own fears. Or countless people may die. Sometimes the past reaches forward to bring hope to the future.
About the Author:
Sarah Monzon is a Navy chaplain's wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. Playing pretend all day with them isn't enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. When she isn't in the world of make believe, she can be found in the pine forests of western Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.Her debut novel, The Isaac Project, skyrocketed to Amazon bestseller status while her Sophomore book, Finders Keepers, has finaled in contests such as the Inspy Awards and received a 4 star review from Romantic Times
My Review: 4.5 stars!
I love reading books that surprise me, and this one did just that - in a good way. I wasn’t expecting a dual story line with a couple fighting in WWII. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love so thoroughly with Michael Carrington or want to cry with him over the pain his character was dealt. I wasn’t expecting a heroine named Jack Rogers (which threw me off a bit, at first) and I loved how easily I identified with her. I’ve read Ms. Monzon’s other books and quite enjoyed them, though I truthfully don’t remember Finder’s Keepers very well (something I need to rectify), and I have to admit that I’m pretty positive this one is my favorite to date!
Ms. Monzon did an excellent job with this story, pulling me in a making me smile from the very first paragraph. Her writing flows smoothly, with witty dialogue and unique characters. I found myself fully invested in these people she created, the ones that burrowed straight into my imagination and heart. I didn’t want to put it down! And even though it frustrated me a time or two (mostly because I had to go back to work), I have to say that she really gave me incentive to read faster, what with the cliffhangers at the end of several chapters! Despite that, I actually really enjoyed the chapters alternating between the past and present, especially as I began to see how they paralleled with one another. And I love how she tied them together in the end!
As aforementioned, I absolutely loved the characters! Jack and Michael, and Alice and Henry. I enjoyed reuniting with Trent and Samantha from Finder’s Keepers and am VERY curious as to which siblings’ story will be next (is it Adam’s? Hint, hint). I know these people aren’t real, but for the entirety of the book, they were to me. Michael became the friend that I so want to help, but don’t know what to say to them. Jackie the friend that’s always there, but who needs a listening ear as well. Alice, the friend you cheer on as she made her place in the world and fought for freedom. And Henry, I just wanted to nudge and tell him to make every moment count. I loved the dialogue that sometimes made me laugh, but also the honest conversations and the wisdom found in them. I really appreciated how Ms. Monzon was able to direct the conversations to God without making the story seem preachy or contrived. She did this especially well with Michael’s character, as he worked through his anger, confusion, regret, and fear. And she writes a great romance, as well. I enjoyed how she wove this sometime subtle, sometimes not, tension through both of the stories, and also how she chose the handle Michael and Jackie’s story, as they both worked through their respective issues. I do kinda wish that there would have been a bit more verbal communication between them, but it worked out well, nonetheless, and I am now anxiously awaiting the next story!
Goodness! It feels like ages since I've posted anything on here! I cringe at considering checking the date of my last post - sorry for being so absent!
I hope you enjoyed my review and will consider checking out the book! And I have to brag on the quote photos above - I borrowed them from some lovely ladies on Facebook. Aren't they great? I'm personally terrible at making photos like that, so I love being able to filch them from others and have a pretty way to share my favorite quotes. :)
I hope your day is filled with smiles!
Amazon
Goodreads
Excellent review!
ReplyDelete